A Historical Interrogation of Ijaw and Itsekiri Conflict

This work examines the historical interrogation of Ijaw and Itsekiri conflict. Thecontinued incidence of leadership struggle, brazen conflict, abject poverty, grosseconomic backwardness and total underdevelopment, as it is the case in the oil-rich NigerDelta region of Nigeria, remains a great source of worry and concern among scholars.The gravity of the above problematic situation has made many Nigerians to keeppondering whether the discovery and exploration of oil is a blessing or a curse to ourcountry, Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that the study is poised to interrogate Ijawand Itsekiri conflict, Nigeria with particular focus on Warri South Local GovernmentArea of Delta State. The study reveals that conflict in the area stems more from the claimof original ownership of Warri land and ethnic divide among the people of the area. TheItsekiri people and the Ijaws have plunged themselves in intense leadership struggle cumpower tussle over the territory as well as inordinate quest for resource control in the area.Also, the general untold hardship, hunger, poverty and lack of adequate socio-economicinfrastructures, as the attendant consequences of oil exploration in the area, wereimplicated for the incessant conflicts. The study therefore recommends, among others,that leadership/power zoning strategy should be more practicable. On the other hand, thegovernment at different levels and the oil companies operating in the area must beproactive and show greater concern/commitment to the environmental condition of thepeople in order to ensure real human and infrastructural development of the region.